Admiration
by fergie20
Summary: Whether he felt the same or if he claimed that he did not, it didn’t matter. She would always love him. Spoilerish.


_It started off as admiration…_

He kept her going despite everything was going horribly wrong at home with her family. The way he kept on going despite everyone seemed to hate him. How he wanted to prove them all wrong by becoming the Hokage. It made her want to prove her family wrong and work hard.

_Then it transformed into a crush…_

She knew her teammates and her sensei saw the way she acted around him. That she would watch him every time she had the spare time. They just worried the fact that the boy was head-over-heels in love with his own teammate and that he would probably never look her way.

So she did the little things like offering to help him pass the first part of the exam, the medicine after his and Kiba's fight, and encouraging him during his and Neji's fight before she fainted. She even left things at his apartment silently to encourage her crush toward his dream because if she ever came face-to-face with him she would faint.

When he left to train with one of the legendary Sannin, she began to train harder, working hard to show her father she was capable of running the family. She also did it to show that she also was not a failure.

_And then finally love…_

During that period, she evaluated her feelings for the boy she had so long admired and crushed on. She realized during those long months that she loved him. And she would do whatever she could to help him.

The mission to find Sasuke was a bust. She felt as though she had failed him. She would see him in the village and want to hide herself more than usual.

But he was still his cheerful self. Continually optimistic despite the odds against what he wanted to do. He was liked more and not hated by all it seemed. He even spoke to her and she didn't faint! Then he disappeared again after the death of his Sannin teacher. She heard news from her teammates that he was off training somewhere.

When he was gone, the village was attacked by the Akatsuki. When all seemed lost, he returned! She watched wide-eyed as he fought the man who had almost killed the Fifth Hokage.

Then, the tide of the battle changed. Her love was losing ground and the enemy was gaining it so fast. She so badly wanted to jump in and help but a family member held her back stating it was too dangerous. She continued to watch until he was pinned to the ground and it looked like the enemy was going to kill him. She took off with out a thought to her safety to save him.

When she stood in front of Pein, she felt at peace with herself. It didn't matter about her anymore. It was just about the person she loved.

And she told the boy that she first had admired, then crushed, and now loved, in the middle of a battlefield, that she had always watched him and that she loved him. She saw his look of astonishment briefly before she charged forward with an attack, only to feel cold metal slide into her side and then ripped out and she was cast aside. In the next moment, she felt a surge of powerful chakra and after that she passed out.

She awoke to Sakura hovering over her with cousin and her teammates in the background. Her first thought was to ask about him and if he was alive, not about herself.

She cried when in the villagers declared him a hero. She was so happy for him. She knew better than to hope that he would respond to her confession. There was so much to do with rebuilding the village.

_The answer…_

After the whole mess with Danzo and Sasuke was cleared up, she felt her heart quicken. He might finally respond to her confession. Whether he felt the same or if he claimed that he did not, it didn't matter.

She would always love him.

They ran into reach other just outside the village. She was returning from a brief mission and he was returning from a trip to Suna. They exchanged hellos and how-do-you does, and when she was going to awkwardly say goodbye and go report, he stopped her with a hand on her wrist. She turned to face him and he placed the same hand that stopped her behind his head as he grinned.

He told her that he honestly had not known and asked her to forgive him for making her wait so long for a response. That while he didn't have the same feelings towards her at this moment, he would like to try and get to know her so maybe he could.

She was first speechless then responded enthusiastically by hugging him. He returned the gesture and twirled her for an added effect.

_Good things come to those who wait…_

As she walked down the aisle, she reminisced. Thinking about their first date, their first kiss, and when he finally told her that he felt the same about her and that he didn't want to live without her.

It was her favorite memory.

When her hand was passed to his, she smiled at the man who she was going to spend the rest of life. He returned it and kissed her hand as they began the ceremony that would join them together as husband and wife.

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_NaruHina! 3 My first pairing and still is! Though it might not happen in the actual manga I hope for it. This is what I hope might happen! :]_

_Dis: I do not own Naruto. Kishi does._

_Read and review please?_ :]


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